She wore her coat of many colours
with sensual and proud aplomb

Threw on her simple print
cotton gown of French Rose
and headed for the bathroom

Emerging freshly showered in
creamy Honeysuckle White

She let slip the Paris Green
and in the reflection of Silver
saw the woman, who was the wife

Dressed the Peachiness of her face
in delicate and sweeping strokes

Shrugged on Prussian Blue jeans
with a simple V-necked shirt
and embraced a mother’s looks

Her coat of many colours
Was worn throughout the day;

Golden corn and toasted wheat
Spilt orange on chequered floor
Black briefcase and Chelsea schoolbag
Waving good-bye on terracotta
Moulding pink, blue and lilac sheets
Green liquid in rainbow foam
Cleansing of bleach and ruby scarf
Blonde child strapped in silver car
Green-grocers and fresh brown bread
Metalled trolley in palette board store
Snuggled sleep and haze of quiet
A chance to sit for a bite to eat
Kicked of school shoes and portrait of red
Paint-chipped cars stretch across the room
Pink- iced biscuits and chocolate milk
Dolls are dressed in tangerine wool
Felt-tip, crayons and colouring books
Table cleared towards five a day
Superman p j’s and Peppa Pig nightie
Moving pictures of bedtime stories

Now her coat of many colours
Lent itself to culinary skills

Peeled off Marigolds
untied a Sunflower apron
slipped out of faded espadrilles

Refreshed the sweeping strokes
soft pink lips, Copperglaze Sienna

Waved a spray of Cartier de Lune
glided into silk Ebony gown, and
onto bare shoulders, relaxed Henna

Guests departed, Midnight colour
Collar and tie pulled undone

Gown discarded on Beige pile
Lilac linen resting, soothing
wife, mother, became a lover

Monday brings extra colour
More embroidery to interweave

Tailored suit, hung behind
stripped pine; Black heels
point the end, of Maternity Leave